A Bleeding Heart to Boot

Disappointment is hard. SO. HARD. It bankrupts any and all personal investment. And it doesn’t really matter how big or small that interest is.

I [along with thousands of other Minnesota fans] felt some heavy heartache last night following a pretty discouraging loss. But truthfully, we didn’t deserve to take it home. Because you have to show up to play. And you have to play to win. That’s how sports work. Luckily, it’s all just a game. It’s football. It’s entertainment. And it’s something that has absolutely no bearing on my daily living. So how come I can feel so incredibly bummed and bothered? Because passion speaks volumes. It drives us to deliver. So the minute that devotion gets deflated, we become a victim of our unmet expectations. It’s how we’re programmed to react. Yes, there are psychological and physiological explanations but we’re going to go with the simplest expression – – – we are human.

On the plus side, disappointment always presents an opportunity. It creates a moment that allows us to decide how we want to respond. Do we dwell in despair or do we look ahead with hope? Admittedly, I’m kind of a pro at both. I can dwell pretty dang well. But I can also hope with the heaviest of hearts. Because I am certain there are always far better things that lie ahead than the things we leave behind. It’s usually just a matter of shifting my state of mind. We’ve been given the act of reflection so that we can recognize this response over time.

Fortunately, disappointment is temporary. Unless we let it linger. The unfavorable outcome of last night’s [NFC] championship game? A bummer but fairly insignificant. However, if not a big game, perhaps it’s a job we weren’t offered, a house we didn’t get, an event we can’t attend…whatever setback that might present itself to you, it’s the way in which we move ahead that will determine the next destiny. Life is oh-so trippy. But we shall always carry on. So, handle it. Heave it. And leave it. Because good or bad, we lose. Good or bad, we learn. And good or bad, we live.

Loyal fans of Minnesota, look to the next season. Loyal fans of life, look to the next day.